Apple's iPhone 16 Introduces New Camera Control Button, Signaling Shift in Design Philosophy

The iPhone 16 got a new Camera Control button, so what more do you want?!

I tell my friends that the new iPhone 16 is coming and they all say the same thing, "What's so new about it?" I heard an editor question whether the new phone was even worth being called the iPhone 15s, a reference to the iPhone 6s days when Apple would update internal parts bi-annually without changing the look of the iPhone. My only response is: can't you see the new button? What more do you want?! You think it's just a button? Sure, the camera hasn't changed much. It can't take infrared photos or x-ray through walls. It doesn't record holograms that you can have R2-D2 playback when you find Ben Kenobi. In fact, Apple's camera software options are pretty simple compared to Samsung and Google, and the new button doesn't catch up to the competition's pro controls. I still take umbrage with saying 'just a button.' A button is a big deal! How many buttons does a phone have? Three? Four? My iPhone 15 Pro Max has four: volume up, volume down, Siri (wait, where's the Power button?), and Action Button. One of those was a brand new button when I bought that phone, I'm sure, but my iPhone 13 Pro Max also has four buttons, so maybe I'm wrong. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the most feature-packed phone I own, and it only has five buttons - and two of those are on the S Pen! Actually, I count the S Pen ejector click as a button, but it doesn't do anything, it's just for fun. Why doesn't Apple give us any buttons that don't do anything!? The iPhone 16 Camera Control button looks fun, but it actually does stuff. What the Camera Control button does and doesn't do The camera button will open the camera ... I think? Right now, my Action Button opens my iPhone 15 Pro Max camera, but I will soon use my iPhone 16 Pro (desert titanium, of course) Camera Control for that. I hope. I'm pretty sure the Camera button doesn't just open the camera, but also opens AI - that is Apple Intelligence. Holding the Camera Control button takes a photo that is immediately fed to Apple's AI to grok. There's a big chance I will forget how to open the Camera and accidentally feed Apple's AI ... over and over again. I mostly use my iPhone buttons to take accidental screenshots, so this will be an improvement. At least there will be intelligence involved. Anyway, with the Camera Control button, I finally get the two-stage shutter button that I've been hoping for. I can press the button halfway to focus the camera, then squeeze the rest of the way to take the shot. I get so many mystified stares when I explain a two-stage camera button, I'm guessing that half of you have no idea what I'm talking about. This is the way standard cameras work, and have worked since autofocus was invented, but I think most people had no idea a camera could do this. Most people just jam the camera button all the way to take a photo. The two-stage button makes photos better. It is easier to focus a camera and hold the camera steady when you take the shot. That means photos are much more clear. I honestly think this will be the biggest improvement to iPhone photography since Apple added a second camera lens. This is the biggest hardware improvement I wanted for smartphones, aside from bringing back the 3.5mm headphone jack. More than just an iPhone 16 button, it's the start of something The new button is more than just a button. The Camera Control is touch-sensitive. You can swipe on it. Okay, that's cool. I can see how that would be useful to change settings, and maybe even fun! I can also imagine switching between camera lenses with accidental swipes. That would be a disaster. If Apple had given us only a two-stage focus, for that alone I would have been thankful. But Apple did not stop at an autofocus swipe button. Apple goes even further with AI. Tying the Camera Control button directly to Apple Intelligence puts AI front-and-center in a way that Google and Samsung have avoided. You can find plenty of cool AI tools on the best Samsung phones. You can talk to Google Gemini by holding a button on your Pixel 9 phone. Neither of those make it so easy for AI to see what you see, at the press of a button. We're not even sure what this will be useful for, we just know you can show the AI things and then you can, umm... Back to the button. A button is a big deal! We need more buttons. This isn't the first new button I've seen recently (hi Action Button!) and it won't be the last. Good. I'm getting tired of touch screens. First, I expect all Android phone makers will add a two-stage camera button within two years. It will take a few months for existing buyers to get jealous and demand a button on their next Android, and then It takes around 18 months to design a new phone. Therefore, two years - I'd put money on it. Second, a camera button is just the start. There may be more buttons on the way. AI buttons. Buttons we haven't thought about yet. There will be more buttons on the way. The zombie specter of phone buttons has been awakened, and it is hungry for new ideas. Finally, touchscreens are terrible, at least on their own. A touchscreen is a mistaken tap waiting to happen. It's a million wrong buttons that I can press while trying to press the one right button. It's an Escape Room without an Esc. key. We need more buttons to help us control our phones. Touchscreens are good for people with certain skills - a level of dexterity, or fine motor control. It was always wrong to make touch the only paradigm to control our smartphones (and don't get me started on cars). I want more buttons, and if you can't see why the new button is a big deal, then you're probably still trying to unlock your phone screen with your fingers. You Might Also Like

Apple's iPhone 16 Gets a New Button on the Side for Camera Control

When Apple unveiled all the details of its upcoming iPhone 16 lineup this week, one of the major physical changes was a new single-click button on the side of the phone for camera control. The announcement came during Apple's annual September device event on Monday morning at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. You can read about everything announced by Apple for its new iPhones (and colors), Apple Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4 on CNET. The camera control button is a new feature coming to the iPhone 16, as is the ability to shoot spatial photos and video. The indented button sits flush with the surface of the phone and looks similar to a side fingerprint reader but launches the camera. You can also use it to access Visual Intelligence features, powered by Apple Silicon. Looking to preorder the latest Apple devices? We're rounding up the best iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4 deals at launch. "The camera control provides instant, easy access to the camera with just a click. It allows you to adjust various camera features simply by sliding your finger," Apple said during the event. "Its convenient design ensures it's always within reach." During a demo of the camera control button, Apple showed how one click launches the camera and then another click takes a photo. Holding the button will record a video, and lightly pressing the button will show you "an all-new clean preview that dissolves all other UI elements, helping you focus on framing the shot," Apple said. A light press on the button can also bring up an overlay for camera functions. Press lightly twice and you can zoom. Sliding your finger over the camera control button brings up other controls you can adjust, like depth of field. Apps including Snapchat will also let you use the camera control button to snap and share quickly. The button contains a "high-precision force sensor," provides haptic feedback and contains a multi-pixel capacitive sensor and signal processor. The new camera control button on the iPhone 16 also gives you access to Apple's Visual Intelligence features, including using your phone as a kind of mixed reality handset. For instance, if you see a restaurant while you're out walking, you can hold your phone up and click and hold the camera control button to bring up information on hours, ratings, menus and reservations. Another example Apple used was if you see a flyer for an event, you can click the button and add the event to your calendar. It'll automatically fill out the event title, time, date and location. "And then there's that cute little puppy you see at the park. What kind of dog is that? Click, and now you know," Apple added. "All of this is done privately using a combination of on-device intelligence and Apple services that never store your images." You can also access third-party apps and tools like Google search if you see a car or bike you'd like to see the price of or ChatGPT to ask questions of the artificial intelligence chatbot while out and about.

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus Hands-On: Camera Key, Action Button, New Colors

Expertise Apple | Samsung | Google | Smartphones | Smartwatches | Wearables | Fitness trackers Starting now, you can preorder all four models of Apple's new iPhone 16 phones, which go on sale Sept. 20 and come with iOS 18, Apple Intelligence (what Apple calls its AI software) and, remarkably, two physical buttons you can push down -- one on either side of the phone. I went hands-on with the iPhone 16 at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. earlier this week and got to try out the new features in person, including the camera button. I have some thoughts to share. If you're wondering what the biggest differences are between the iPhone 16 and last year's iPhone 15, this new dedicated camera "button" and the addition of the Action button (previously exclusive to the Pro) are my major callouts. Apple has also upgraded to a new A18 processor and improved the iPhone's zoom camera quality. Apple is also touting its new iPhone lineup as being the first phones built for Apple Intelligence at a time when tech giants are competing to inject their most important products with more AI. Pricing remains the same as last year's phones: the 128GB iPhone 16 starts at $799 (£799, AU$1,399) and the 128GB iPhone 16 Plus starts at $899 (£899, AU$1,599). Apple preorder sales: We're rounding up the best iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4 deals at launch. The new iPhones will have a redesigned rear camera bump that aligns the sensors vertically, similar to how they appeared on the back of the iPhone X, XS, XR, 11 and 12 (the iPhone 13, 14 and 15 had rear cameras that were diagonally aligned). Vertically aligning the cameras makes them capable of recording spatial photos and videos for viewing on Apple's Vision Pro headset. More notably for those looking to improve their photo and video shooting, there is now a dedicated camera control "button" along the side of the device. Apple has long pitched that the iPhone was on par with DSLRs, and this dedicated button may make it even easier to capture moments and memories. Clicking the button takes a photo while sliding can adjust zoom. Double pressing can switch modes or settings. Apple says the "camera control" will be usable in third-party apps. Based on the time that CNET's Lisa Eadicicco spent trying the Phone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, Camera Control seems like a lot of fun to play with. You can access different settings and controls by sliding your finger across the sensor like a touchpad. It feels like a button and a touchpad in one, building on the idea Apple introduced with its QuickTake feature on the iPhone 11, which lets you record a video by holding the shutter button. CNET will need to spend more time with the iPhone 16 before deciding how useful Camera Control is and how well it works. But so far, it seems like a useful way to manage camera settings and shooting modes without obscuring the screen with your finger. The more interesting use for Camera Control, though, is a new tool Apple is calling "visual intelligence." You'll be able to press and hold the Camera Control button to quickly point the iPhone's camera at a place or object to learn more about it, almost like Google Lens. It's another sign that tech companies are positioning the camera as a tool not just for capturing photos but for learning more about the world around you. Google and OpenAI, for example, have both been touting the way their mobile virtual assistants can answer questions and process requests based on images and text. But this feature won't be available at launch; Apple says it's coming later this year. As for camera specs, the main camera remains a 48-megapixel shooter (capable of 2x telephoto shots at 12 megapixels), while there is a new ultrawide sensor that Apple says "can capture up to 2.6x more light." The camera button isn't the only new addition to the iPhone 16 line, with both models gaining an "Action" button similar to what was added to the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max last year. This button lets you set shortcuts to open specific apps or tasks (like setting the phone to "Do Not Disturb," opening the flashlight or setting a direct coffee order from Dunkin'). It's a small change, but a practical one that should make the base iPhone more personal and customizable. Displays for the new phones will be similar to 2024's iPhone 15 and 15 Plus: 6.1 inches on the smaller model and 6.7 inches on the larger Plus. Those looking for larger displays will need to look at the new iPhone 16 Pro (now 6.3 inches) and 16 Pro Max models (now 6.9 inches). The Pro models will also have improved cameras and even faster processors. All iPhone 16 models will run iOS 18 on the new A18 processor, which is capable of tapping into the company's new Apple Intelligence AI features. Apple says the iPhone 16 will have a "bigger battery," but it didn't reveal how much longer the battery will last during the presentation. Looking at the specs page, Apple now says that the iPhone 16 will have 2 more hours of video playback compared with the iPhone 15 (for both watching videos stored locally and streaming videos). The iPhone 16 Plus will have 1 more hour of local video playback and 4 more hours of streaming video playback. Like the iPhone 15 line, the phones will be able to physically charge over USB-C or wirelessly over MagSafe or Qi2. MagSafe charging can now take advantage of faster 25-watt speeds, an increase from the max of 15 watts on the iPhone 15. (Qi-based wireless charging remains at 15 watts for Qi2 chargers and 7.5 watts for older Qi chargers.) The new base iPhone 16 and 16 Plus colors are white, black, ultramarine (blue), teal (green) and pink, and they look bright and colorful in person. Between the new Camera Control and Action button, along with a new processor and camera improvements, the iPhone 16 seems like a notable improvement over the iPhone 15. But the big question on everyone's minds will likely be whether Apple Intelligence is worth the upgrade, since these new phones are among the only models to run Apple's new AI features. We'll know more once we've had the chance to spend more time with it and when Apple Intelligence rolls out.

iPhone Buttons Are Back, Baby! Apple's About-Face Is All for the Sake of AI

Katie a UK-based news reporter and features writer. Officially, she is CNET's European correspondent, covering tech policy and Big Tech in the EU and UK. Unofficially, she serves as CNET's Taylor Swift correspondent. You can also find her writing about tech for good, ethics and human rights, the climate crisis, robots, travel and digital culture. She was once described a "living synth" by London's Evening Standard for having a microchip injected into her hand. We all know fashion is cyclical, but so, it seems, is tech. Once upon a time, phones dedicated more space to buttons than screen. Over time, in a trend largely led by Apple, phones have featured fewer and fewer buttons. We've now reached the point where other than volume controls and a power button, you'll be hard pressed to find a physical button on your phone at all. But that's all changing with the iPhone 16 line, which Apple announced at its "Glowtime" event on Monday. The phone comes with one more button than its predecessor. The button is called the Camera Control, a capacitive button that activates and operates the iPhone's camera app. Looking to preorder the latest Apple devices? We're rounding up the best iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10 and AirPods 4 deals at launch. This comes after Apple last year added the action button on the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, a programmable shortcut button sitting above the volume keys. That took the number of physical buttons from three to four. This year, it's gone from four to five, with the base iPhone 16 also getting the action button. So it's official: Seven years after forcing us to reckon with the loss of the iPhone's home button, physical buttons are not only back on the iPhone, but increasing in number. Some Android phones have had similar physical controls for years, but Apple has a track record of leading the charge when it comes to minimalist phone design, meaning that this is an unusual and notable about-face from the company. The move is likely to divide opinion. Some people out there are still clinging to older iPhones with home buttons -- they're likely to be thrilled that when forced to upgrade they have the option of more physical controls. Others may wonder why it's necessary for Apple to backtrack in this way. As someone who has been using a physical camera grip with a phone this year to capture some of my favorite photos, I'm personally excited to see if the camera control can improve my photography. The return to buttons likely wasn't an easy decision for Apple, but rather a tradeoff that will allow it to enable more exciting and complex features -- especially when it comes to integrating Apple Intelligence into the iPhone. For many years, the company has been gradually minimising the ways in which we physically interact with our phones, including by encouraging us to interact with Siri using our voice. Instead of clicking, pressing and holding, we've been swiping in and down from the sides of the screen. There are some experiences, though, that buttons may just be better for enabling. We've already seen this year that dedicated Copilot buttons have been introduced on many new Windows laptops. To maximize the AI and software capabilities, some adjustments to the baseline hardware is necessary. Even Apple seems to be recognizing that. It puts features like Apple's Visual Intelligence -- its version of Google Lens -- directly at people's fingertips. It also makes the camera, which is still one of the most highly prized features of any iPhone, more central and easily accessible. Maybe at some point Apple will find new ways to integrate these controls that don't require buttons, but it seems that, for now at least, the physical button is officially back from the dead and finding a new lease of life, as AI becomes increasingly integrated into our devices.